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Daschle To Head HHS

Posted by PATRICK EDABURN in At TMV, Politics.
Nov 19th, 2008 | Comments

President Elect Obama has chosen former Senator Tom Daschle to head up the Department of Health and Human Services according to news reports. The same reports indicate Daschle is likely to accept.

While it is hardly surprising that Obama would give a post to Daschle I might have expected him to go with Agriculture, given that the senator is from South Dakota. Daschle did focus on national health care during his stay in the Senate though so it does make some sense.

One issue I have been pondering is whether the Daschle pick is going to end up being something of a sop to the left or if it is going to show his decision to govern futher to the left that he previously indicated.

The reason for wondering about his governing to the left is because Daschle is a strong advocate of a single payer style NHS and while most of us support some form of health care reform the Daschle option is pretty far to the left.

On the other hand I could see this as a sop to the left in that even if Obama did want to promote such a program it is unlikely he could do so under current budgetary restraints and so putting Daschle in there gives him the ability to say he tried.

I do not seem to be the only one wondering this.

Fellow TMV blogger Tony Campbell has pointed out that so far no Republicans have been named to the Obama Cabinet and while things are still early we all would hope that he does follow through on his promise of bipartisan government.

On the other hand, as I previously indicated the left blogs seem upset with some of Obama’s picks (like Clinton at State rumors or Holder at Justice).

DLS

The Democrats generally support universal federal (not "national") health care in the USA.

Most plans like Obama's that fall short of this are merely incrementalist maneuvers.

Only the farthest left Dems openly seek federal health care provision at this time (Conyers, Kucinich).

The Conyers-Kucinich bill is flawed. On the other hand, other Dems have not given up on the ultimate goal. Ted Kennedy, for example, is back. Get ready for his bill, everybody.

http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/11/18/ted-kenn...

DLS

Tom Vilsack (who ran unsuccessfully early in the presidential campaign) may be rewarded with Ag.

http://www.agweekly.com/articles/2008/11/17/new...

Sylny

Why are we still looking at things through a left-versus-right prism? How about a what- works- and- what- doesn't prism for a change? Interestingly, a number of practicing U.S. physicians now favor single-payer plans, and I seriously doubt that most of them are socialists. Here's a letter from one such individual that I recently read in the NY Times: I'm not saying I agree or disagree with it; I don't know enough at this point to make that call, but I do think this is a preferable framework for discussion.

October 28, 2008 11:40 am

Why do we allow the insurance companiies to siphon off $500 billion per year in administrative costs and profits - and by the standard practice of routinely denying legitimate claims siphoning off still more dollars?

Why can't we learn from other countries that a single payer system is the only sane answer?

Some may brand me a socialist or worse for this opinion; I would rather characterize myself as a caring physician frustrated with the insane politics that stll clouds this issue.

— David Tiersten, M.D., Maplewood, NJ

JSpencer

I agree with Sylny, we need to be concerned about reality, and what is going to be best for the country, rather than allow ourselves to become mired in outdated and regressive thinking. My concern is that Obama will be too moderate in his desire to be seen as "bipartisan" in a time when that is not longer a worthy goal in itself. The status quo has been killing us for decades now, and we will eventually reach the point of no return if we don't get our act together. Courageous and visionary leadership is what is called for at this critical juncture. If Obama lives up to his hope and change message, then perhaps we stand a chance, but if he plays it safe, then his administration will end on the same sorry note it started on.

jeff_pickens

I'd be curious to know what right-leaners or center-right would propose for our health care "problem?" Generally all I've heard is more free-market solutions. Competition, etc.

The real-world problem premises would be:
1) nearly 50 million uninsured Americans currently,
2) most expensive health care in the world, despite being far down the list on longevity, infant mortality and many measurable qualifiers of health care "success,"
3) number one cause of personal bankruptcy being "getting sick."

But I tell you what: I had a patient yesterday who needed a screening brain CT, and he had the choice, within a 5 minute drive of our small-town clinic, of three different facilities that could offer it to him. And he had the clinic visit, the CT and the answer within the hour. What are we willing to trade here?

jeff_pickens

I forgot to add to the above comment that he had private insurance. Probably a deductible, maybe some co-payment. Who pays for the rest?

My "insurance" premiums are about $600/month for a family of three, we in moderately good health, and a $6000 deductible per year.

If he's on my plan, I'm paying for his CT.

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